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Since the Battle of Dandridge, the Union cavalry had moved to the south side of the French Broad
River and had disrupted Confederate foraging and captured numerous wagons in that area. On January 25, 1864,
Lt. Gen. James Longstreet, commander of the Department of East Tennessee, instructed his subordinates to do
something to curtail Union operations south of the French Broad. On the 26th, Brig. Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis,
having had various brushes with Confederate cavalry, deployed his troopers to watch the area fords. Two
Confederate cavalry brigades and artillery advanced from Fair Garden in the afternoon but were checked about
four miles from Sevierville. Other Confederates attacked a Union cavalry brigade, though, at Fowler’s on Flat
Creek, and drove it about two miles. No further fighting occurred that day. Union scouts observed that the
Confederates had concentrated on the Fair Garden Road, so Sturgis ordered an attack there in the morning. In a
heavy fog, Col. Edward M. McCook’s Union division attacked and drove back Maj. Gen. William T. Martin’s
Confederates until about 4:00 pm. At that time, McCook’s men charged with sabers and routed the Rebels.
Sturgis set out in pursuit on the 28th, and captured and killed more of the routed Rebels. The Union forces,
however, observed three of Longstreet’s infantry brigades crossing the river. Realizing his weariness from fighting,
lack of supplies, ammunition, and weapons and the overwhelming strength of the enemy, Sturgis decided to
evacuate the area. But, before leaving, Sturgis determined to attack Brig. Gen. Frank C. Armstrong’s Confederate
cavalry division which he had learned was about three or four miles away, on the river. Unbeknownst to the
attacking Federals, Armstrong had strongly fortified his position and three infantry regiments had arrived to
reinforce him. Thus, the Union troops suffered severe casualties in the attack. The battle continued until dark, when
the Federals retired from the area. The Federals had won the big battle but the fatigue of continual fighting and lack
of supplies and ammunition forced them to withdraw. |
